Sachin will be the key for Mumbai Indians: Robin Singh
Mumbai: Mumbai Indians lost to Chennai Super Kings in the IPL-3 final on April 25 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. But the players and the coach are confident of a better show in the ACLT20 starting from 10th September.
“Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai Indians can go all the way and capture the title and USD 2.5 million prize money in the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 event that gets underway in South Africa on September 10,” coach Robin Singh said on Friday.
The former Indian all-rounder said in a teleconference, “We have the team to win the tournament. We are going with a positive intent. Everyone is excited. We played exceedingly well in IPL-3 and are looking ahead now to win the Champions League.”
“We had a preparatory camp in South Africa in end-July. We had another camp in Chennai. Everyone talks about the bounce on those wickets. We have to go there and see. We will do focused work-outs once we reach there on the 30th,” he said.
The team will practise in Durban for 5-6 days as per the schedule.
Praising the skipper Sachin Tendulkar, Singh Said, “Tendulkar is always crucial whether playing for India or for us. He is a crucial part of our game. He’s already started practising for the tournament.”
He also clarified that two of the key Indian players, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan who missed the Sri Lanka tour, have recovered completely from their injuries.
“Both are fully fit and raring to go,” said the former left hander.
The coach feels that South African left handed batsman Jean Paul Duminy will be vital with his knowledge of the conditions in his home country. “JP is a very important part of our team with his knowledge of the conditions,” he said.
However, the two West Indian All-Rounder namely, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard will join the team slightly later due to Pollard’s recovery from a hit on his eye while playing county cricket in England.
“They were in England and have played a lot of cricket. They are joining the team after the 2nd (of September),” Robin Singh said.
He has been in touch with Saurabh Tiwary, the best Under-23 performer of IPL-3, who has been a part of the India A Team, Emerging India and is currently with the Indian ODI team in Sri Lanka.
“I am in regular touch with him. He’s a fabulous player and is very enthusiastic (about CLT20),” said the MI coach.
The only problem for MI seems to be the opening which hampered them in IPL-3.The team tried Shikhar Dhawan, Aditya Tare, Sanath Jayasuriya, Ryan McLaren etc. So they might have different plans for this time. As Jayasuriya is not in the CLT20 squad, Dhawan seems to be the only genuine opener apart from the skipper. When asked about the opening partner of Sachin Tendulkar in the ACL T20, Robin Singh said, “Obviously we have other plans too which I cannot reveal.”
Mumbai Indians is in Group-B with the fellow IPL Team Royal Challengers’ Bangalore, West Indian Champion Guyana, South African HighVeld Lions and South Australian Redbacks. The team is going to begin its challenge in the inaugural match against the Lions on the 10th September at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg at 21:00 IST.
They are one of the strong contenders for this 2nd edition of Champions League with the likes of T20 specialists Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga.
MI Squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Sachin Tendulkar, Ambati Rayudu, Saurabh Tiwary, Jean Paul Duminy, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Rajagopal Sathish, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga, Aditya Tare, Ryan McLaren, Ali Murtaza, Dhawal Kulkarni.
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